San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-10-07
FRIDAY, OCTOBER, 7, 1887.
WHY THE LIGHT DOES NOT.

VIII LINT DOEo wv
There are men, whose character for
responsibility would not be questioned,
who accuse the LIGHT of lack Of enter
prise because it will not print the filthy
testimony that Is taken In the Beitel
case. DO these persons want their
young daughters and the daughters OF
other citizens to become familiar with
such lewd and obscene transactions as
that trial develops? II they do, the
LIGHT cannot be made the instrument OF
any such communications. This journal
has always, and justly, prided itself in
giving the news OF this city, and will go
as far as proper respect for public de-
cency will permit in giving the fullest
details Of all local transactions, but to
flood the homes of San Antonio with the
debsslng and cOrIupting details Of d.
YOree trial which for IOsthsonde, dis
gusting filthiness has had no parallel in
Texas, is what the LIGHT cannot con-
sent to do even to please its patrons and
"sell hundreds of extras every day" as it
40 SApAN6oNNs NuC cObGl btiOuh
thought of the people of San Antonio will
not cOnfound just regard for public de-
OeHoy, with lack OF journalistic enter
prise. The pages Of the daily press are
too largely filled with details of crime,
with the minutia of domestic scan
dals, with particulars of social uncleaI-
nesses which should be confined ex-
clusively to the ear of court and jury.
The desire to maintain fair and open
trials and lift our courts above the sus-
piCiOn Of anything secret and under
handed has been carried to the extreme
Of throwing wide the doors OF court
rooms to the public, when the most dis
gusting evidence is being taken. The
public taste is only vitiated, and the
public morals corrupted. and the passion
for lewd things increased thereby. The
criminal trials OF this country and its
divorce trials are oOrrupting to public
morals. Did the press refuse to publish
details OF these trials it would be gain
to morality and virtue. The refusal
81 w SaA"i DSN w AoSh VI
prise at first, but it would soon be ao-
cepted as a righteous change for good.
The Cumberland Telephone company
will not monkey with public sentiment
in Memphis, Tennessee, very suddenly.
This company, with l,IGO subscribers,
advanced rates from five dollars per
month to six dollars, contrary to stipu-
latiOns, and reused to recede. A pub
lie meeting was called in the Merchants
exchange. Eight hundred subscribers
signed an agreement TO serve notice
upon the exchange to take out the in
struments, and a committee was APP
pointed to wait upon the other $50, and
induce them to follow suit. The forma-
ton Of new company with q capital
stock Of 100000, is well under way and
soon the hello will be heard all through
the Bluff City, but it will not be the
Cumberland operators that will
tangle the talk. Thus and thus should
1t be done unto every corporation that
attempts to swindle a long-sUierlng
public. The telephone and the tele-
graph and the gas and he:electric light
and the water companies, are all in
dispensible, and any extortions should
meet with instant and decisive rebuke.
1t ia a duty which every municipality
owes to itself, and to all sister munich
palities, not to suffer itselfto be imposed
upon by corporate greed.
The namby-pamby sentiment which
grows tender over the woes and SEN
tence Of the bomb dealing anarchists
does not influence all the pulpits Of this
land, as witness the recent sermon OF
DIR. Newman at Washington. DR.. New
man scores most numerically the men
who, "oalling themselves &c ID citizens
and christians would sign and circulate
petition for the pardon of those
whose hands are red with the blood of
the keepers of the peace and the defend
ers Of the public safety" Liberty"
says this OutspOken divine, "means
obedience to law. Absolute liberty has
no place in this land and those who
come to ms from abroad should under
stand that for those who yell for absC-